CHAMPION ENLISTS

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21194, 17 August 1940, Page 18 (Supplement)

CHAMPION ENLISTS

R. B. JOYES FOR CAMP LOSS TO WAIKATO ATHLETICS BRILLIANT CAREER REVIEWED (By “Nurmi”) In these days of enlistments by the dozen, the score, and the hundred, it is inevitable that the cream of our manhood going into camp must include a proportion of athletic champions and top-liners in various branches of sport. In these days, also, of paper restrictions, it is not possible to do justice to each and every individual star performer, who lays down 1-pis sports gear to take up the cudgels in the common cause. There are, however, some exceptional sportsmen whose keeness, ability and personal adherence to the unwritten laws of amateur sport, rank them just a shade more deserving than their fellows in the matter of sports column eulogies. If ever a man earned the right to honourable mention by sporting writers, Ralph Bernard Joyes certainly has. Novice Performer As a comparative novice, R. B. Joyes joined the Hamilton Amateur Athletic and Cycle Club in 1934. A more or less successful season saw him elected captain in 1935. The fortunes of the club were at this stage not particularly high and the new captain set to work to interest, firstly officials and then to swell the performers’ ranks. It was uphill work at first but once reliable officials were appointed more and more members enrolled. The services of numerous well-performed veterans were secured and the athletic standard improved by leaps and bounds. Proof of this was forthcoming in February, 1936, when the Hamilton A.A. & C.C. track and field team led' by Joyes, annexed the champion club shield at the Waikato sub-centre championships (held at Steele Park).

Since that first success, in which he contributed six points (second in the open broad jump and second in the 220 hurdles) Joyes’ keenness has continued unabated and his remarkable tenacity of purpose had a considerable bearing on the later elevation of the Hamilton Athletic Club to the position of champion club of the entire Auckland area. Space does not permit a complete list of the individual club and handicap successes of this well-known and popular performer. It is possible, however, to briefly outline his remarkable athletic career. All-round Ability Excluding mention of Hamilton club championships (there are over a score of these) it is worthy of note that he has represented Hamilton in 100yds, 220yds, 440yds, 880yds flat, 120, 220 and 440 hurdles, long jump, hop step and jump, pole vault, shot putt, discus and javelin. In 1936 he captained the Waikato team at the Auckland track and field championships.

Waikato Titles In 1937 Joyes annexed his first Waikato hurdles titles, when, at Rhodes Park, Thames, he won the 220 hurdles in 27 2-5 secs and the 440 hurdles in 62 1-5 secs. The same season he upset all calculations by ] defeating F. A. Finlaysoti (then National champion) and H. D. Ball in the Auckland 440 hurdles, held at Steele Park, Hamilton, in the slashing time of 57 4-5 secs. From this stage onwards his name has been a household word among hurdles competitors, and their supporters. His name is beside the 220 and 440 Waikato championships for 1937, 1938, 1939 and 1940. In the Auckland 220 hurdles championship he was third in 1937 to Finlayson and Bowie. In 1938 he deposed Bowie (then National champion and record holder) and successfully defended his title in 1939 and 1940. In the 440 hurdles Auckland title event he was first in 1937, second in 1938 and regained the event m 1939 and successfully defended it in 1940. National Meetings The New Zealand championship saw him on three occasions, in 1937, 1939 and 1940. In this latter year he was accorded a notable honour by being appointed captain of the Auckland representative team. That he was not unsettled by this responsibility he illustrated by running fourth in the fastest ever New Zealand championship 220 hurdles final. Even in fourth place he was clocked at 25 2-5 secs. The championship record is 25 secs). Later in the day he almost collected n national title but had to be content with second place to Ramsay, ot Otago, in the 440 hurdles final. Broad jumping is another of his | good sidelines. He won the Hamilton I tUle on several occasions and in j 1940, at Paeroa, won the Waikato | title. The pentathlon contests of the Hamilton Athletic Club and the Hamilton Harrier Club (where his winter interests lie) are another tribute to his prowess. A pentathlon championship is the best performance in five separate events: —200 metres and 1500 metres flat, broad jump, javelin and discus throw. Joyes has won the Athletic Pentathlon, which carries with it the Howden Cup, three times and the Harrier Club’s Oliver Shield three times also. Dur-

ing three winter seasons he wore the ! white and blue of the Hamilton Harrier Club in cross-country races. Met Visiting Stars In 1938, when John Loaring, of Canada, British Empire champion hurdler, appeared in Auckland, Joyes journeyed north to compete, but crashed heavily at the straight entrance. In the same season he competed in the broad jump against : Togaini, the visiting Japanese star. ■ It was in 1938 also that he conceived j the idea of a queen carnival to wipe j off financial obligations amounting to j over £IOO (£75 of which had been j owing by the Hamilton Club for j some years). The Queen Carnival j idea, with queens selected from dif- j ferent sections of the club, met with ! a luke-warm reception at first, but | when the various committeemen j finally became infected with the or- [ ganiser’s keenness, the carnival was | a great success and duly paid off the j debt and left the club well establish- i ed financially. Since then the finances ! have never looked back. In 1939, in appreciation of his | sterling services to the club, Joyes j was appointed to attend the training j school of the visiting American i coach, A. L. Fitch, at Timaru. In ! addition to delivering lectures and ! generally handing out advice on what {

he had learnt, he secured for the club the loan of several highly educative films of world champions in slow motion. Needless to say these were well received locally. Basketball Too Athletics is not his sole sporting interest. As a member of the Athletic Club basketball team he has played an important part in the success of this well-known combination. He has represented Waikato at basketball for three years (1937-8-9) the last year captaining the Waikato team. He has other interests too —is a formidable welterweight in the squared ring, plays a good straight bat, is a solid and reliable five-eighth and hits a really good tennis ball. Many a junior athletic has reason to thank the subject of this sketch for hints on how to do this and that. As a captain he demanded a high standard of efficiency from officials and club members alike and his influence in this direction rebounds continually to the advantage of the club. This briefly is an outline of the interesting career of a good sportsman. We can but hope that his example as club captain of the athletic club for the years 1935-36-37-38-39-40 will inspire some similarly endowed personality to step up into his place during his temporary absence. Readers will, I know, join with “Nurmi” in wishing Mr Joyes God's speed and a safe return.